Watch CBS News

Tenants At Riverside Apartment Complex Take Down Suspected Serial Car Burglar

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — A suspected serial car burglar was arrested after being caught in the act by two tenants at a Riverside apartment complex.

Tim Nolan's truck was among 16 vehicles that were burglarized in the last two weeks at Peppertree Place Apartments.

"Just story after story after story of all these neighbors that I ran into saying: 'yeah we've had our car broken into," he said.

On Saturday, when Nolan and his buddy, Alex Suarez, spotted someone taking things from a garage in the complex, they took action.

"As he ducks into the carport, Tim comes around the corner. Tim sees him, squares up with him, double legs him, takes him down. I jump on top. We held him down until PD gets here," Suarez recalled.

Nolan said he used the wrestling moves he learned in high school to nab Alejandro Rodriguez, 24, who is parolee.

"I told him I'm going get you. And as soon as he came at me and threw a couple blows, I threw a couple back at him. I picked him up and slammed him to the ground as hard as I could," Nolan explained.

Neighbor Sonia Gurolla thanked Nolan for not letting Rodriguez get away with her stuff. "Not heartbreaking or sad. Just makes you angry. Glad he got caught," Gurolla said.

Nolan's girlfriend, Rachel Nemeth, and the security guard were also there during the takedown.

She was impressed by her boyfriend and Suarez's good work. "The opportunity presented itself. It was like we've got to do it. We've got to catch this guy. It was perfect timing," Nemeth said.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.